headlocked | high cloud disaster ot3 shit

[That's genuinely the romantic thing Blade could say right now. He knows intimately what Jing Yuan is afraid of, and he can be trusted to follow through. Most likely there's noone else in the universe who could make that promise and mean it.

It may seem grim, but it's a tangible comfort when the alternative is so much worse than a merciful death.

Jing Yuan doesn't want to show visible emotion about it though, so he just buries his face against Blade's neck and breathes him in instead.]

...Thank you. I'll try to keep that day away as long as I possibly can.

Mm.

[squeezes him a bit. then he steps out into the hallway and wow accidentally smacks jing yuan’s feet into the doorframe.]

He… [his voice wavers. he sounds so besotted.] He helps. Not just with his weird Vidyadhara shit. But he’s… good.

Gh--

[That hurt!! Jing Yuan makes a whiny noise against Blade's skin, clinging all the tighter. What a rude doorframe.]

...He's a good boy. He deserves better than us. But I'm happy he wants to be here, and I'm glad his presence helps you. We have to do all we can to make him happy.

I don’t care if he deserves better. I want him and I have him.

[see? romantic. he squints down the hall, and with the preternatural skill of someone who’s been a stalker for centuries, heads in dan heng’s direction. he’s careful now, too, maneuvering the bulk of jing yuan through the way, and it’s plenty obvious he actually likes carting the general around. like a pet.]

Today was the first time I made him happy. [if he had a tail it would be wagging violently right now.]

It sounds to me as if you've made yourself happy, too.

[Lucky for Blade, Jing Yuan enjoys being carried. He's snuggled up, completely blissful despite Blade still saying weird stuff.]

I never would've thought we could be like this. I... want to see you both happy even more.

...whatever.

[blade kicks open a door. it is not the bath nor does it have dan heng in it. mystifyingly, this does not upset him as much as he thought it would. this is mostly because like this, he can shift jing yuan close enough so he could bite at an ear. wow.]

Think about yourself for once.

[Jing Yuan startles at the bite with a tiny squeak. Blade's so damned bitey!! His revenge is to give Blade a very brief, light kiss.]

I am thinking about myself. I said I'd retire, did I not?

Although... Fu Xuan may still be too hotheaded for the position. And Yanqing is certainly too short-sighted to be her right hand just yet...

[Meanwhile the sound of running water has become a beacon to the room next door to this one.]

No. You’re retiring. You are going on the Express and I am throwing your phone out of the airlock.

[he would be a lot less grumpy if jing yuan didn’t ply him with these … little.. . affectionate gestures. they make him lightheaded.

and he kicks that door open too! with more force than necessary.]

[dan heng would startle, but he heard the first door get kicked open, so he's ready with a baleful look.]

What did the door do to you? I was about to come fetch you.

He was just that excited to see your face again.

[Jing Yuan says, chipper and quite happy in Blade's arms. And then he immediately follows it with an equally chipper complaint.]

Also, Dan Heng! Tell this brute he can't just throw my phone into the vacuum of space, would you?

The door didn’t have you in it, Dan Heng.

[srs, earnest face. also blade casually sways over to dump jing yuan in the gigantic (????) bathtub?? wow??? blade can be depressed here in style…]

You know how he is. When he retires he’ll still be thinking about work.

[gay

gayyyy

going pink and turning back to the water with a tailflick.]

You can't just tell him ahead of time.

[That is a terrible unceremonious drop into the giant luxurious tub... This whole bathroom is luxurious -- as is the whole cottage, tbh. Everything is in a simple and natural style and not the least bit glitzy, but it's extremely high end.

So the water that splashes everywhere when he falls in with a startled shriek, gets all over a very fancy floor. Good thing it's waterproof...

Jing Yuan, on the other hand, is not waterproof. He sits up sputtering, his fluff totally flattened by the water.]

Could you both consider not conspiring against me...?

It’s not conspiring if we discuss it right in front of you, brat.

[now he is also going to try and scoop up dan heng to unceremoniously dump him in the water too.]

It's just making sure you-

[dan heng doesn't blink about getting splashed, because, well-- vidyadhara.

but! scooped. dumped. squawking flailing bundle of limbs and tail.]

[Jing Yuan gets splashed in the face and smacked by the flail tail!]

You--

[This is both quite fun and really annoying. He's reaches out and tries to drag Blade in as inelegantly as possible as vengeance.]

[naturally he’s prepared for an attack but he’s prepared for one from dan heng, so he basically goes down like a sentient rock.

at least this tub has actual water filters, he muses for the 5 seconds he’s underwater, before he surfaces and. splashes jing yuan’s face with water. dick.

(he does not splash dan heng mostly because you can’t actually win any sort of splashing contest with imbibitor lunae.)]

This isn’t a bathtub. It’s a pool.

I prefer that, really.

[lounging against the side of the tub. watch the old men.]

[Jing Yuan makes a face... and then he smiiiles and splashes! that big jerk!! back!!!]

It's comfortable, you stodgy old man.

[Call him a brat and he'll play along, just like he said!!

But he also splashes Dan Heng.]

And you. Loosen up and have some fun.

[blade has not had … ‘fun’ in approximately forever, but he has to admit, there’s something to be said about splashing around like this. provoking reactions that weren’t fight or flight.]

Have you seen his room on the Express. [he sidles over to sliiiide a possessive hand up jing yuan’s back. he is contemplating a plan of attack for dan heng. he looks like the kind of person who uses 15 in 1 bath products.] He’d sleep in a pool if he could.

I'm perfectly comfortable...

[pausing

squinting]

That. Is not in the schematics.

[The hand up his back makes Jing Yuan visibly shiver, and he makes a choked, startled noise in response.]

Excuse me.

[He swat's Blade's shoulder in retaliation, and scoots over to sit next to Dan Heng instead. He doesn't want to get all worked up again, okay. He's already tired and sore.]

[shamelessly:] I know everything about you, Dan Heng.

[wow that sure is a reaction. blade wants to see it again. in fact he wants to do a lot of things, feeling strangely energetic.

he swans closer to them. stares. and then veers off to look at whatever bath paraphernalia is available.]

Have you been on the Express?!

[please, he's invited NOW, but,,,,]

I'd be surprised if he hadn't...

[He leeeeeans on Dan Heng. It is your turn to pet him. Meow.]

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